Templar Brewery is moving to the Milton Schoolhouse building at 1320 Milton Road in Alton, pending a city hearing. Owners Rick Blevens and his two sons, Richard and Nick Blevens, said the new space will give the brewery room to grow, and building features like a garage door will make operations more efficient. “Our brewery’s been growing at a pretty good rate since we started two years ago … we’re looking for a place that can support our business,” Richard Blevens said.
Templar currently sells its three brews – Crusader Golden Ale, Urban Brown Ale and Singulus IPA – wholesale in Illinois, but the Blevens hope to open a tap room in the new space later this year and add a wheat beer and Imperial stout. The first priority, he said, is settling into the new space by September 2015. “You’ve to do this like a game of chess. It’s one move at a time,” Blevens said.
The new location, owned by Joel and Meredith Elliot, already houses a dog grooming service and cafe, among other businesses. The Blevens plan to keep focused on serving the local area for the foreseeable future.
This article appears in Readers’ Choice 2015.